A self-imposed headache rang through my skull as I thought about the damage I had just done to my newly-leased SUV. My eyes held shut while I enjoyed the last few moments I could claim to not know what the state of my vehicle was in. Honestly, from crick in my neck and the cool breeze on my face, it was probably for the best. Had I been in my hoopty from college, I doubt I would have lived through even a rear end.
Slowly opening my eyes, the first thing I notice is all the blood. Like a lot of blood, I remember reading that humans have a ton of the stuff, but it looks like someone sprayed my car down with a red kool aid hose. The crash ending up on the side of the highway, with a glancing hit to the side of the concrete barrier and a half turn to face the barrier, I was surprised to see the damage so extensive. With the grace of a zombie I began fumbling with the door to open it.
I passively think I should try to see if I hit anybody, with all the blood, but I’m on the highway, who the hell walks on the highway. It could be my blood, and that would explain the lack of clarity to my thoughts. Reaching a logical conclusion that laying down would be to the benefit of myself or the person bleeding out under my car if anyone was stuck down there, I carefully fall down to my knees, and then my side, facing under the car.
Seeing the face of a kind elderly women, well, kind if she wasn’t looking at me with a face contorted in a mixture of agony and surprise. Glancing to see if this already awful morning could be salvaged with some dizzy first aid, I notice she was pinned on her side under the car. One arm searing up against the undercarriage of the car, the other arm cradling the broken leg protruding from her shoulder.
I do a once over on that last thought and the old lady.
And I run.
Not even taking the full time figure out what I just saw, my body knows primarily to run. Either I just committed manslaughter of at least 4 people from the amount of limbs I briefly saw, or I ran over a flesh ant person. Either of those where worthy enough to kick in the fight or flight response. With a concentrated effort of will power as I pound down the highway, I turn to glance at the car, which was now smoking like the last time I tried to cook a steak indoors. All around us, the cars sit in traffic around us as I get a first hand experience with the bystander effect. I quickly decide that if I did just hit 4 people, letting them burn to death would probably increase whatever punishment this will undoubtedly incur, and if it's an ant made of flesh, perhaps I can win its favour and become its liaison to the world of humans.
As I gather my wits and begin making my way back to the tragedy that was my car and the crime that may be the end of my life.
The car lights fire.
My previously cautious jog turns into a slow walk as I watch the beginning of the end. At least I levelled up. Levelled up!? The focusing on the blue fog that had been cloudy my vision, they turn more opaque as I focus on the words.
Godmaker Season 3
Congratulations on slaying “Chrysalis Queen Christina” Champion of the God of Virulance, please select a non-participating God to champion. Gods will be arranged by order of interest and power, choose wisely.
God of Pride
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God of Instincts
God of Blood
God of Fish
God of Envy
God of Transportation
God of Bronze
God of Steel
....
The list went on for quite some time, and with a flick of a thought, I was able to scroll up and down through the possibilities remaining.
“Welp, this is definitely related to some head injury” I thought with a tired smile.
My eyes began to unfocus while I tried to push back the screens to being a blue tint. Gingerly reaching out to check myself over, feeling the sticky blood on my face and arms, but thankfully not finding anything fresh. With a suppressed dry heave at the realization that this was not my blood and the relief that washed over me as I realized I was uninjured. Checking my surroundings I found that people had begun to step out of their cars, and was receiving a few looks of concern based on my bloody attire.
What had originally escaped my notice while recovering from my own accident, was that there were accidents everywhere. The highway littered rear ends and wrecks, and the survivors were as equally dazed and confused as I was.
The slowly growing frustration of an older gentleman in golf attire clued more and more people in as he continued to fail to start his car. One of the few people lucky enough to make it out of the crash carnage with a somewhat intact car, was unable to start his (almost) pristine vehicle. A dawning look of understanding grew over my face with raised eyebrows and eventually a sigh.
We had been EMP’d by someone, and now electronics were basically paperweights unless properly protected.
“Welp, looks like I’m not working for a while.” I say, trying to find something positive about what could be an attack on the states.
People were beginning to congregate on the opposite side of the highway, away from my burning car. With a stroll that spoke of confidence that did belong to a man covered in blood, I began making my way over to them. While keeping aware of my surroundings on my way over, the blue tint started to get thicker, and more pressing in my head, I decided to take a look and humour my EMP-Concussed head.
Congratulations on slaying “Chrysalis Queen Christina” Champion of the God of Virulance, please select a non-participating God to champion. Gods will be arranged by order of interest and power, choose wisely.
God of Pride
God of Instincts
God of Blood
God of Fish
God of Envy
God of Transportation
God of Bronze
God of Steel
....
With a smile to myself, I choose the God of Pride without hesitation. Pride is what I used to define myself to other people at work, and that had done wonders. When everything works according to plan, pride is called confidence and rewarded, when things go wrong, its arrogance and disdained. As long as I didn’t take many big risks, I was more often confidant than arrogant, and people like people they could assign into categories, so I made it easy for them. Now in concussed land, I have professed my faith to the God of Pride.
With the selection of a God, I was granted to boons, as expected of a follower as great as myself. The screens supported my efforts in understanding what benefits I would be receiving.
Proud Facade The God of Pride is never unsure, which is why he is sure in you. Just in case your not sure, he will make you sure. You always seem confident in your actions, even when you’re not.
Begrudging Desire
The God of Pride takes pride in taking the pride of others. Allows you to take a person's pride when you have destroyed it.
The God of Pride has left a message "Destroy what you cannot have."
“Well that's a tad darker than I was expecting from my subconscious.” I admit as I begin to make eye contact with the small crowd, catching the eye of a man somewhere around his 40s. With tan leathery skin and a black haired widows peak, he reminded me of an exceptionally tall native american.
Putting on my most friendly smile, I ask “I’m Alex Oxspring, any idea whats up?” reaching out to shake his hand.
His leathery face tightened in a frown as he goes to return the handshake. With a firm clasp of his calloused hands and a less than friendly stance. Quickly eyeing me for a moment while I’m off balance, he releases and steps back.
“You sound like a serial killer.” Wiping the blood I’d forgotten about on his pants.
‘Sound? I’d think the blood would be a bigger deal.”